Liquid-measuring device



Patented Mar. 3, 19275.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

OLAE` LAB/SEN, 0,' E` FORT ATKINSON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 T HE CREAMERY PACK- AGE MFG. COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO', ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LIQUID-MEASURING DEVICE.

Application filed September To all whom t may concern;

Be it known that I, OLAF LARSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Fort Atkinson, in kthe county of Jefferson and the State 'of IWisconsin, have invented certain `new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Measuring Devices, of which the following is a specification. The invention relates to a liquid measuring device having particular application to batch Vmeasuring tanks employed with ice cream freezers.

The commercial ice cream freezer is com monly equipped with a batch measuring tank from which measured quantities ofthe liquid mixture are successively discharged into the freezer cylinder, the tank being klled Vfrom a storage supply piped'to the freezer. p

The manual opening and closing of the inlet valve with sight control ofthe quantity of mixture drawn necessitates the immediate attention of an attendant, and further results in inaccurate measurement due to the tendency of the flowing ingredients to froth andv make difficult the determination of the actual level of the liquid.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a float controlled supply inlet valve which, when opened, will automatically admit-to the batch tank an exactly measured predetermined quantity of mixture, Vand thereupon closethe inlet against the further inflow of mixture when the tank is discharged. T V

Other objects include the positive locking of the valve in closed position after each ops eration and until again manually opened; facility for disassembling and cleaning the apparatus; adjustability to measurevariable quantities of mixture; and simple durable construction of parts. 'A i Further objects and advantages will4 be apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of my invention, which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Y. 7

' In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of thedevice as mounted in an ice cream freezer batch tank. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the plane'ofY the line 2-2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the valve parts taken on the plane of the line 3 3 inrFig. 1. Y

The reference numeral 1 indicates a frag- 5, 1922. serial No. 586,381.

mentary upper portion of the freezing cylinderof an Vice cream freezer above which is mounted a batch tank 2 supportedat its rear end upon a bracket 3 carried by the freezer. Secured to and supporting the lower portion of the front end of the tank is a discharge pipe et openingV into the tank and leading to a freezer inlet y5 communicating with the freezing chamber within thecylinder l. v

The freezer inlet 5 preferably comprises a tubular casing within which -is seated a tu bular valve 6 rotatable'by the handle 7 to bring its lateral port into register with the tank discharge outlet 4C. The upper en'd of the valve 6 may carry a fruit feed funnel 8 communicating through the tubular valve 6V Ywith Y the freezing chamber.

A supply pipe 9, leading from a mixture supply reservoir, conducts the liquid to the batch tank, an ordinary connection with the tank inlet control valve being omitted from the drawings for better illustra-tion ofthe valve.

A supporting cross rail 10 preferably bridges the lateral walls of the tank, secured ,to the upper edges thereof vby means of its side'of the sleeve 12. Y

- A lower section 15 of the valve casing is detachably secured in telescoping abutment with the upper section, preferably by means `of lateral wings 16 having slotted ends to receive a pair of bolt'srl supported in the raillO and tightened by wing nuts 18. The section 15 is constructedto form aseat within the casing for a valve 19 controlling the discharge orifice 2O opening laterally through the outlet 21 Vfrom which the mixture is discharged into a strainer 22, preferably supported on the casing section 15, and thence into the batch tankl 2.

Thervalve 19 is operatively supported by a 'depending stem 23 having a sliding bearing in a carrier 24, the latter beingslidably supported in an extension 25 of the casing section land effecting an en'd closure of the discharge chamber 20. The upper end of the carrier 24 extends proximately to the valve 19 and is adapt-ed to operatively raise the latter from its seat by elevation of the carrier.

The lower end o1 the carrier 21 is provided with a tranverse slot 26 of elongated cross section, through which a transversely slidable bar 27 is positioned and operatively supported in the casing` extension 25. rThe bar 27 is provided with a recess in its upper surface adapted in one position of the bar to receive the end of the stem 23 protruding` into the slot 26 and thereby permit the valve 19 to descend into its seat and close the mixture inlet. In other positions of the bar 27 the stem 23 rests upon its upper surface thereby securing the valve 19 in open position.

Movement of the bar 27 is controlled by means of a bell crank 28, pivotod ou the casing section 15, having one arm in operative engagement with the end of tl e bar 2i" and the other arm connected with and supporting a bar 29 at the outer end of which is carried a float 30. rlhe connection between the bell crank and the float bar preferably is made adjustable by any suitable means to permit changing the vertical position of the float 30 relative to the bell crank, and thus vary the height to which the lloat must rise to move the bar 2'? into such position that the valve stem 23 will vdrop into 'the recess in the bar and eiiect the closing of the valve orilice.

To lift the valve into open position, there is provided a lever 31 also pivoted on the casing section 15 and having one end in operative engagement with the vlower end of the carrier 24. The other end of the lever extends laterally to receive a plunger 32 slidably supported in the cross rail 1() and extending upwardly for convenient manual operation. Depression of the plunger' 32 operates through the. lever 31 to lift the carrier 24 and the valve 19 sutliciently to carry the stem 23 out of its recess in the bar 27, the slot 26 in the carrier being of sufficient depth to permit such upward movement of the carrier.

ln the operation ot my device, the desired quantity of mixture for a batch is determined and the float support bar adjustably secured to elfect the closure of the valve upon the iniiow orq that quantity. With the freezer inlet 5 closed, depression of the plunger 32 opens the tank inlet valve 19, and with the withdrawal of the stem 23 Yfrom the recess in the bar 27 the latter is released and moves rearwardly by operation of its connections with the float 30 which falls into lowered position, the rearward movement of the bar being limited by engagement of a stop 33 with the supporting bearing for the bar. Upon release of the plunger 32 the valve 19 is held in open position by the stein 23 resting upon the upper surface of the bar 27.

The intlowing mixture passing through the screen 22 rises in the tank and carries the float 30 to the predetermined height to measure the desired quantity, the bar 27 being moved forwardly as the float rises. At the determined level of mixture the recess in the bar 27 is in register with the end of the stem 23 whereupon the latter drops thereinto and closes the inlet valve.

Upon discharging the batch of mixture from the tanlr into the freezer, the valve 19 remains closed and the float 30 is supported in elevated position by the positive interlocking engagement o the stem 23 within the recess in the bar 27. rlhe iillingoi the tank is accomplished when desired simply by the manual depression ot the plunger 32 to open the valve 19, aiter which no further attention is required from the operator until the measured batch is to be discharged into the freezer.

The sectional construction oic the valve casing and arrangement of the operating parts permits of the ready disassembling ot the valve for thorough cleaning after use.

it will now be apparent that l have provided an improved automatic measuring valve tor the purposes indicated, which is or simple, durable and sanitary construct-ion and positive in operation.

I claim as my invention 1. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle, and valve mechanism for admitting liquid thereto comprising a casing having a discharge oriiice, a valve normally seated in said orifice having an operating stem, manually operable means for unseating said valve and opening said orifice, a reciprocatory bar positioned transversely ot said stem and 'arranged to support said stem in position to retain said valve in open position, said bar having a recess adapted to receive said stem in one position of said bar and permit the closing of said valve, and float means controlled by the liquid in said receptacle for moving said` reciprocatory bar.

2. A device of the class described comprising a receptacle, and valve mechanism for admitting liquidr thereto comprising a casing having a discharge oriiice, a valve normally seated in said orifice having an operating stem, a reciprocatory member Vslidably supporting said stem and operable to move said valve roniits seat, means for manually operating said member, and automatic means for 'retaining said valve in open position until a predetermined quantity of liquid enters the receptacle and thereupon causing said valve to be reseated.

3. A device oi the class described comprising a receptacle, and valve mechanism for admitting liquid thereto comprising a casing having a discharge orice, a valve normally seated in said orifice having an'operating stem, a reciprocatory member slidably supporting said stem and operable to lift said valve from its seat, means for manually operating said member, a reciprocatory bar positioned transversely of said stem and arranged to support the stem in position Vto retain the valve in open position, said bar having a recess adapted to receive said stem in one position of the bar and permit the closing of said valve, and float means controlled by the liquid in said receptacle for moving said reciprocatory bar.

4. A device `of the class described com` prising a receptacle, and valve mechanism for admittingv liquid thereto comprising a casing having a discharge orifice, a valve normally seated in said orifice having an operating` stem, a reciprocatory member slidably supporting said stem and operable to lift said valve from its seat, means for manually operatinof said member, a reciprocatory bar operable in transverse relation to said stem and normally supporting the end thereof to retain said valve in open position, said bar having a recess adapted to receive said stem in one position of the bar and permit the closing of saidvalve, and float means controlled by the liquid in said receptacle for moving saidY reciprocatory bar, the engagement of said stem in said ing a guide bearing for the slidable support of sai stem and movable to lift' said valve from its seat, said member having a transverse slot in Vits outer end portio'n into which said valve stem partially extends, a sliding bar operatively supported in said casing and positioned in said slot vtransversely ofsaid stem, said bar having a recess to receive said stem and lock said bar against movement when said valve is in closed position and being adapted to support said stem and valve in elevated position in other positions of said bar, a pivoted lever operable to lift said carrier member, a float, a pivoted support for the float,

and an operating connection between said support and said sliding bar.

' In witness whereof I have my hand.

hereunto set OLAF LARsEN."

lng a depending stem, a carrier member shdably supported 1n said lower section hav- 

